University leads debate on future of veterinary practice at Ploughing

South East Technological University (SETU) led a high-profile panel discussion on the evolving needs and challenges of veterinary practice at the National Ploughing Championships this afternoon (Tuesday).

Chaired by Dr Mary-Kate Burke, Head of Department of Veterinary Medicine at SETU, the discussion ‘Veterinary Voices: Future of Practice’ addressed key issues shaping the sector, from new programmes, legislation and the One Health agenda to the impact of technology and the ongoing challenge of retention.

Joining her on the panel were Dr Lucy Jerram of Highfield Veterinary- Large Animal, Dr Eilidh Thomson, Lecturer in Farm Animal Veterinary Medicine at SETU, and Dr Emma Corbett-Coffey, Lecturer in Small Animal Veterinary Medicine at SETU. Each shared perspectives from their area of expertise, while highlighting the opportunities for innovation and improvement.

“Legislation and workforce demands are reshaping how veterinary practitioners deliver care on the ground,” said Dr Jerram. “Collaboration between universities, practitioners, and policymakers is critical for the future of the profession.”

For Dr Burke, the Ploughing Championships was the ideal platform for SETU to host this debate. “Events like this allow us to step back and reflect on how the profession is changing and the role of third-level education in supporting it,” she said. “SETU’s new five-year Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (MVB) degree, set to welcome its first 40 students in September 2026, is designed with the realities and diversity of modern veterinary medicine practice in mind.”

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While retention remains a pressing issue across the profession, Dr Burke believes the new SETU programme forms part of the solution. “By expanding capacity here in Ireland and developing this programme in a measured way, we are giving students the chance to study and give back to their own communities,” she explained.

Dr Burke, whose extensive clinical and academic experience includes international equine practice, clinical academic posts at the University of Cambridge and the University of Surrey, and Fellowship of Advanced HE (Higher Education Authority), is an advocate of the distributed model of veterinary education.

“Having worked within both traditional vet school models and distributed clinical models, I’ve seen the strengths of each. The distributed model meets the needs of today’s veterinary industry and offers a sustainable future,” she said.

SETU is working with local and national stakeholders as well as international experts to shape a curriculum in line with the highest professional standards and the accreditation requirements of the Veterinary Council of Ireland.

The degree will be structured in three phases - foundation, clinical, and professional, with students completing workplace-based clinical rotations through SETU’s Veterinary Distributed Clinical Network. Large animal teaching will be delivered through SETU’s longstanding partnership with Teagasc Kildalton College in Piltown, Co Kilkenny.

“It’s vital that students appreciate the clinical relevance of what they are studying — learning in a way that connects theory to real-world cases,” commented Dr Corbett-Coffey, Lecturer in Small Animal Veterinary Medicine at SETU.

Dr Burke concluded, “Our MVB degree strengthens regional capacity, and supports rural communities while securing the future of veterinary practice in Ireland.”

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